105 - Little Peasant Wife

Hey... W-what's going on here? Jing Ao Xue was completely dumbfounded. She started to doubt if she was dreaming, or perhaps she was just so exhausted that she was hallucinating. Otherwise, how could she explain seeing Shen Lu Man actively sitting on her lap? Perhaps her eyes were opened too wide or the disbelief in her gaze was too blatant, Shen Lu Man blushed deeply with embarrassment under her intense stare. In response, she decided to cover Jing Ao Xue's eyes with her hand and leaned in to kiss her. Due to certain reasons, she wouldn't be able to indulge in desires for a long time... Memories of being unaware as a vine flashed through her mind. She... she wanted to make it up to Jing Ao Xue, or maybe, she wanted to... give it a try. However, Jing Ao Xue was as still as a piece of wood, completely rigid and unresponsive. Shen Lu Man bit her lip and whispered softly into Jing Ao Xue's ear, "You don't want this?" It felt like a clap of thunder struck Jing Ao Xue's head, jolting her awake from a hazy dream. With a complex expression, she pushed Shen Lu Man away and said, "Did someone drug you or something? Why are you acting so strange?" Shen Lu Man was deflated; it had taken her so much courage to come over, only for Jing Ao Xue to respond like this. She promptly rolled off and huffed, "If you don't want this, then forget it. Don't cling to me in the future!" Jing Ao Xue hurriedly grabbed her hand, brought it to her lips, and gave it a hesitant kiss, asking in a slightly hoarse voice, "Are you... serious?" Staring into Shen Lu Man's eyes with a piercing gaze, she asked, "Are you genuine about this?" Shen Lu Man turned her head shyly and gave a gentle nod. The next moment, she found herself being pulled back onto the bed by Jing Ao Xue with a smile, who said, "This sort of thing should be my initiative, of course. I was wondering why something felt off earlier, turns out we had the roles reversed..." Having endured a long night, Jing Ao Xue didn't awaken until the sun hung high in the sky. Yawning with her eyes closed, she caught a faint fragrance unfamiliar to her. It took her a moment to recognize what it was. She immediately opened her eyes and smiled, searching for Shen Lu Man's presence. But the bed was empty except for herself. Pouting, she got up and felt refreshed, realizing that Shen Lu Man must have cleaned her up beforehand. This progress... seemed off, didn't it? With a deadpan look, Jing Ao Xue pushed open the door and saw Shen Lu Man sewing clothes in the main room. Upon hearing her footsteps, Shen Lu Man didn't look up, but her earlobes and cheeks were burning, covered with a blush. Jing Ao Xue walked over, intimately sitting on the stool beside Shen Lu Man, and smiled playfully, "Wife, why are you up so early, aren't you tired? Or did I tire you out last night..." Shen Lu Man, bashfully glaring at her, lowered her head and whispered, "Stop talking." Jing Ao Xue scratched her head and said, "Alright, no talking during the day. But can we discuss it at night?" Shen Lu Man bit her lip, hesitated for a long while, and then spoke, "No, I have to cultivate the bloodthirsty gu poison within me. Until the gu is mature, I can't act on desires." Jing Ao Xue was dumbfounded, looking at Shen Lu Man, even digging at her ear, she asked, "What on earth?" Shen Lu Man pursed her lips and cautiously explained, "I mentioned before that I wished to repay General Qin's kindness and needed to fight poison with poison. I have a way, which is to cultivate the gu within myself. As a half-demon before, it would harm my body, so even if I had a method, I didn't mention it. But now that I've awakened as a powerful demon, I can..." Jing Ao Xue crossed her arms and scoffed, "So now you can endanger yourself, right? I was wondering why you seemed off last night, turns out you were preparing for this. Were you trying to make up for the fact you can't... for a year or two?" Midway through her sentence, her words got stuck, and she miserably shut her mouth. Shen Lu Man's face was also unpleasant. "I hid this from you, but it wasn't intentional. Moreover, if I weren't willing, you couldn't force me. So..." She fidgeted but couldn't voice the rest. But Jing Ao Xue understood her meaning. She sighed and said, "Oh darling, come over here, let me hug you. I'm heartbroken here." Blushing, Shen Lu Man obediently put down her stitching and carefully sat beside her, soon finding herself pulled into Jing Ao Xue's embrace. Her breath was close to her ear, the familiar scent enveloping her in Jing Ao Xue's warmth. Lowering her head, Shen Lu Man nestled closer as Jing Ao Xue murmured, "I never used to care about this stuff. Waiting two or three years isn't that hard. But you’ve gone and stirred me up, got me interested, only to then tell me I can't have it. What do you expect me to do with you?" Feeling guilty, Shen Lu Man knew she had acted impulsively due to fear, choosing to undergo the gu ritual without consulting Jing Ao Xue. Seeing the wry smile on Jing Ao Xue's face, guilt struck her heart, and she leaned in to peck her cheek. Surprised, Jing Ao Xue hugged her and planted several more kisses, saying, "This might be for the best. I was also planning to cultivate with peace of mind, raise my abilities. What's a few more years of abstinence? I can handle it." Gently holding Shen Lu Man's alabaster fingers, she added, "Besides, you had it well thought out last night. Liu Er is still young, and we've not been able to properly educate her yet. To add another child now would be too much. Let's wait until she's older, when circumstances are better." She paused, glanced at Shen Lu Man, and hesitated before asking, "Will you give me another little one someday?" Flushed, Shen Lu Man nodded, "If you want one, I'll give you one." Smiling, Jing Ao Xue kissed her, "That's great. Darling, you see how easily I'm appeased, don't you? In another home, a wife or husband would have long gone looking for trouble elsewhere." Shen Lu Man looked at her seriously and, with conviction, said, "You wouldn't dare." Such words... were indeed meaningful. Jing Ao Xue's mouth twitched, quickly nodding, "Right, I wouldn't dare." After managing to obtain a few kisses, Jing Ao Xue then said, "I'm hungry. Is there any food? Could you also heat some water so I can take a proper bath?" Blushing, Shen Lu Man went to the kitchen to warm the food and heat the water, with Jing Ao Xue following closely behind. Having just experienced their first meaningful wedding night, the two of them didn't want to separate at all. That afternoon, the while horse still hadn't returned. With a large harvest of medicinal herbs gathered the previous day, Jing Ao Xue busily continued making pills in the pharmacy. No matter how many she made, she planned on refining them all. Given their long shelf life, selling them later would even be an option if necessary. Thinking of this, an idea struck Jing Ao Xue, and she mentioned it to Shen Lu Man. But Shen Lu Man shook her head, declining, "These pills have powerful effects. Selling them in the mortal world would only bring trouble. Let's not. We still have plenty of gold and silver from our raid on the bandit camp, so money isn't an issue right now. Why take the risk?" Acknowledging the point, Jing Ao Xue decided to sneak a kiss when Shen Lu Man was focused on her work. Despite receiving an angry glare, she felt delighted. As dusk approached, Jing Ao Xue stretched, noting there was ample time before she'd need to fetch Liu Er. Outside, the evening light was beautiful. Perhaps she should pull Shen Lu Man out for a stroll, to enjoy some quality time together. The thought led to action. Shen Lu Man, ever accommodating, allowed Jing Ao Xue to guide her outside without protest. Initially making playful comments, they later walked in silence, neither finding it awkward, but rather, peacefully content. Their interlinked hands slowly grew damp with sweat, yet neither was willing to let go. Jing Ao Xue took deep breaths of the fresh air beside the farmland, memories of her solitary existence in the apocalypse seeming like a lifetime ago. Though technically they were, she chuckled, and suddenly said, "Shen Lu Man, I'm really happy." Her eyes sparkled, overflowing with radiant joy. Shen Lu Man, affected by her mood, replied with a soft smile, "I'm happy too." Tightening her grip on Shen Lu Man's hand, Jing Ao Xue felt profound gratitude for her present life. From being a lone soul in the apocalypse, she now had a home, a kind and gentle wife, and a smart, adorable daughter. She felt truly fulfilled, wishing to spend her days like this forever, much like Shen Lu Man—to laugh and enjoy life, watching Liu Er grow year by year into maturity. This was genuine happiness, Jing Ao Xue was sure, even gods would envy. Unable to resist laughing, she realized they had wandered to a riverside. Picking up a stone, she tossed it across the water, and handed another to Shen Lu Man. "Want to try?" Though thinking it childish, Shen Lu Man accepted the stone and threw it. Jing Ao Xue said, "I've heard before that tossing stones across water allows you to make a wish. I just made a wish, your turn now." With her mouth slightly agape, Shen Lu Man closed it again as Jing Ao Xue kissed her hand, saying, "Just make the wish in your heart." Lowering her gaze, Shen Lu Man locked eyes with Jing Ao Xue through her long, thick eyelashes. Face heating, Shen Lu Man ducked her head, making her wish in silence. As dusk began to settle, Jing Ao Xue let out a long breath and said, "Let's go pick up Liu Er and head home." Shen Lu Man nodded, and the two of them walked hand in hand to General Qin's residence to retrieve Liu Er. Qin Yi Shu was in the middle of assigning Liu Er her reading tasks for the night, leaving the two actual parents feeling a bit awkward and flushed listening in. Liu Er was making swift progress, and Qin Yi Shu's teaching was excellent. The pair had grown so close, they almost seemed like a mother and daughter. After bidding farewell to Qin Yi Shu, Jing Ao Xue whispered resentfully to Shen Lu Man, "Once Liu Er turns six and her spirit roots are tested, I insist on personally teaching her to cultivate." Shen Lu Man laughed and nodded, finding Jing Ao Xue's childish competitiveness on such minor matters endearing. Back home, Jing Ao Xue spotted the white horse that had been missing all day. Raising an eyebrow, she teased, "Oh, you decided to return?" The Bai Ma Ji Si cautiously glanced at Shen Lu Man, only relaxing when he saw her head into the kitchen to prepare dinner, pretending to ignore him. He then said, "I was just cultivating in the mountains. Do you and Shen Lu Man have some free time tomorrow? If so, I could take you both to explore the outer areas of a Nascent Soul cultivator's cave estate?" Jing Ao Xue squinted, thinking: So, he really was in the mountains. She had noticed the unusually dense concentration of wood-elemental energy there before, and connecting the dots, she had a vague idea of where the estate might be located. The prospect intrigued her, but Nascent Soul cultivators' cave estates generally had numerous traps and were not easily accessible. Hesitant, she asked, "Inside, is it..." The Bai Ma Ji Si explained, "You can't enter inside. Only cultivators of Foundation Establishment stage or higher can. But I can take you and Shen Lu Man to the outermost area, where the spiritual energy is the densest among the mountains. Although Qing Mu Zhenjun set up defensive formations, just absorbing spiritual energy for cultivation won't trigger them." He earnestly suggested it for Jing Ao Xue's benefit. As she turned to discuss it with Shen Lu Man, the Bai Ma Ji Si glanced over at Liu Er, who was reading in the courtyard. To lift the curse upon him, the Bai Ma Ji Si needed to amass a certain amount of merit. He planned to leave the village temporarily in the coming days to gather this merit in the outer world. Liu Er, being so young, couldn't cultivate on her own yet and relied on her mothers for protection. Therefore, he genuinely wished for Jing Ao Xue and Shen Lu Man to enhance their powers. While he was deep in thought, Shen Lu Man and Jing Ao Xue had come to a consensus. Shen Lu Man walked out and said to him, "Alright, but don't try any tricks. If you do—” “Otherwise, you can kill me. I get it.” The Bai Ma Ji Si lowered his head in defeat, while Shen Lu Man let out a cold laugh and returned to cooking. After dinner, Liu Er approached them, saying, "Mother, Mama, I'd like to stay at my godmother's for a few days." Jing Ao Xue was startled by this and quickly asked, "Why?" With a faint smile on her lips, Liu Er seemed to have adopted a facade after spending several days with Qin Yi Shu. Jing Ao Xue's mouth twitched, but before she could respond, she immediately refused, "No, absolutely not!" Seeing this, Liu Er turned to Shen Lu Man. Drying her hands, Shen Lu Man pondered for a moment before saying, "Liu Er, you must have a reason for this decision, right?" Liu Er nodded, "You and Mother should focus on your cultivation. I've noticed at night when I wake, Mother is often not home. The White Horse told me you've been cultivating in the mountains." "When I'm home alone, you're worried about me. So why not let me stay with my godmother? She's a general and the residence is guarded by soldiers. No common thugs would dare approach, so you wouldn't have to worry about my safety." Jing Ao Xue sighed, rubbing her forehead. A child being so sensible and mature was indeed troublesome. Exchanging a glance with Shen Lu Man, Shen Lu Man said, "Let me and your mother think about it overnight. We'll give you an answer by morning." She knelt to meet Liu Er at eye level and said, "Your desire to grow and improve is a good thing, but don't over-exert yourself, alright? Remember the lesson about over-pushing that we taught you. You need to know when to pull back." Liu Er snuggled up and wrapped her arms around Shen Lu Man's neck, saying, "I understand, Mama." After patting her shoulder and helping her with a bath, Shen Lu Man waited until Liu Er was asleep before heading to Jing Ao Xue's room. Jing Ao Xue was sitting at the table, toying with a candle flame, muttering, "Looks like my old guess was right." Not knowing what she was referring to, Shen Lu Man sat across from her and poured herself a cup of tea, asking, "What guess?" "That once a daughter is given away, it's like water spilled out—can't be taken back." Jing Ao Xue's words were so matter-of-fact that Shen Lu Man nearly choked on her tea. Wiping her mouth, bemused, Shen Lu Man said, "Don't worry about it. Liu Er is just eager to excel, and it's not entirely her fault. We should blame the Guo Shi and Zhang Qiao Er for pushing her. We need to focus on improving our own cultivation too. Liu Er's suggestion is actually convenient for us, so we'll cultivate in the mountains for now." Jing Ao Xue nodded hesitantly, "Alright then. Tomorrow I'll take some more pills to Qin Yi Shu, and deliver some to Wu Zhi An too. He’s still at the town clinic, recovering from his weakened condition." She paused and then, with sudden enthusiasm, suggested, "Why not discuss with Wu Zhi Yong about planting the herbal seedlings I've cultivated? We'll buy them at a high price, and Gu Bai Wei can help sell the pills. Even if we don't need the money, having something to do is better than nothing, and it could really help the Wu family." Seeing the brightness in her eyes, Shen Lu Man smiled and nodded, "Alright, do as you see fit." Jing Ao Xue considered it a small gesture. Given the pills' potency, selling them publicly would draw suspicion. However, if Bai Cao Tang was associated with them, nobody would question it, knowing Bai Cao Tang’s impressive reputation. Being shielded by such a reputable entity, it was wise given her current powerlessness. Jing Ao Xue was always one to keep herself grounded, never feeling discomfort in practicalities. She knew well that tangible benefits were what mattered; vanity was like floating clouds, completely irrelevant. Besides, there were more pressing matters at hand. After previous ordeals, she understood that strength was paramount. Without it, luck like last time wouldn’t always save them. With this in mind, the next morning after breakfast, she took Liu Er to Qin Yi Shu's place. Upon arriving, she explained Liu Er's plans from the night before to Qin Yi Shu. Qin Yi Shu displayed no surprise, as if she had expected it. Jing Ao Xue, pouting, placed fifty bottles of pills on the table, saying, "These are the pills for your next course. My wife has figured out a way to tackle the poison in you, but it might take a year or two of your patience." Qin Yi Shu smiled for the first time that day, "Thanks a lot." Waving her hand dismissively, Jing Ao Xue added, "It's Liu Er I'm concerned about. Please take good care of her. Here's a thousand taels for her board. Treat her well, please." Qin Yi Shu gave her a knowing smile and agreed. After hugging Liu Er, Jing Ao Xue left for Wu Zhi Yong's house, appearing almost forlorn. Wu Zhi Yong was busy mending furniture when she arrived. Spotting her, he quickly set down his tools and walked over, "You're here, come inside and take a seat." Recalling her purpose, Jing Ao Xue nodded and sat down, explaining her plan. Wu Zhi Yong was both surprised and delighted, but then worry clouded his face, "The thing is, I've only ever grown crops, never herbs. Those are precious, much trickier to cultivate than grains, right?" Jing Ao Xue reassured him, "These seedlings I’ve developed are robust and hardy. Plant them in the soil, and unless disaster strikes, they'll thrive and be ready for harvest. Ten acres of herbs will generate much more income than grains. My wife and I will be quite busy in the coming future, so you're actually helping us by doing this." Given her explanation, Wu Zhi Yong readily agreed, recognizing that Jing Ao Xue was subtly offering him assistance during his family's tough times. He accepted the gesture graciously. Jing Ao Xue left fifty bottles of pills with him too, instructing that everyone in his family could take them, then set off home. Upon returning, Shen Lu Man and the Bai Ma Ji Si were already waiting. Smiling, she hurried to Shen Lu Man's side, and after a brief discussion, the two women and a horse set off toward the depths of the mountains. This site has no pop-up ads. Permanent domain: (xbanxia.com).